Combined container and lamp-shade



P 6, .1932- V J. w. HAYES ET AL 1,875,455

COMBINED CONTAINER A ND LAMP SHADE Filed Nov. 22, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l P 6, 1932- J. w. HAYES ET AL 1,875,455

COMBINED CONTAINER AND LAMP SHADE Filed Nov. 22. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll 8 j I 7 E INVENTORS Patented Sept. 6, 1932 ."UNITEFD'ISTAV TEs ATENT orF cE I COMBINED. courAiNE AND LAMP-SHADE Application filed November 22, i929. Serial No. 408,992..

The invention has for its object to provide a novel and useful combined lamp shade and container for fragile articles, such 'asand more particularly vfor electric light bulbs; said container to be made of paper, light cardboard, parchment, or anysuitable material, either plain or decorated as may best suit the purpose of the manufacturer.

The device, being made of a single sheet of material, and: having a'series of scored lines,'upon which it is folded, forms without gluing, pasting or fastening by any other means, a perfect box-shaped container. The container may be shipped flat or knocked down and maybe easily and readily applied to the light bulb or article to be packed, its simple construction and easy application reducing the cost of manufacture and hand 26 ling to a minimum.

It is a well appreciated fact that the usual receptacle as provided for electric, light bulbs and other fragile articles is discarded as a worthless wrapper when it reaches the ultimate consumer. I

It is now an object of our invention to rovide a container which may continueiits life of usefulness by being converted into a lamp shade, this act of convertion'being accomplished by the simple operation ofremoving the container from the outside wrapper and permitting the? corners to flare of their own resiliency, or aided by the hand if necessary. The container thus released from P the wrapper forms itself naturally into a shade and may be attached to the fixture by the ordinary means of screwing the bulb into the light socket, it not being necessary to remove the bulb from the aperture which has engaged it in the container.

The shade feature of our device, adding usefulness and attractiveness without increasing the cost of manufacture, will greatly advance the sale of that particular make of electric light bulb whose manufacturer uses this medium of advertising.

While our invention relates specifically to a combined container and shade its possibilities as a container, without giving consideration to the shade feature, should make it exceptionally valuable because of its simple construction v and unusual protective features. When made of cheap paperits cost should be lower than that of other devices for similar purposes. j 'Qur'invention has a further advantage in be ng marketable as a lamp shade, without giving consideration to the container feature. The wide range of materials and decorations together with the low cost of the operations involved in its manufacture and handling should make it both popular and profitable. p v 1 The various features of our invention are fully'set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings making a part of this specification, in which 'j Figure 1 is a top plan view of the electric light bulb container encased in an outside wrapper:

Figure 2is a bottom plan View, showing the electric light bulb engaged and protected by the cushioned cornersof the container. Figure 3 is an exploded view, showing the container, with attached bulb, removed from the outside wrapper and flared to form a shade. I

Figure 4 is an elevation of a sheet, of dodecagon shape, scored-to fold on certain lines. In carrying out our invention there is provided' a sheet of dodec'agon form, as shown in Fig; 4, the size of which sheet may vary according to the size of the article .to be acked. While wehave shown a dodecagon shape of pattern of plain edge, we would not limit ourselvesstrictly to this form, as the outer edge may be out invarious designsof rounded or pointed scallops or otherwise when desired for decorative purposes. The sheet is scored on the reverse side to fold on lines 2-2, 33, 4-4, and 5-5, thereby forming the four rectangular sides A and the end section B. The sheet is further scoredon the obverse side to fold on lines 6'-7, and 68, which together with the scored lines already described formthe corner sections designated as C, D, and E. The hole 1 in'the center of the end section B is for the purpose of admitting the neck of the electric bulb as illustrated in Fig.1. Figure l'is a top plan view showing the against the bulb'G, hugging it and'prote'cting I it against breakage in handling. K represents the open spaces formed by the surfaces C, D, and E, giving greater resiliency to the cushions. The wrapper H confines the con .tainer, holding it securely in box form.

In the exploded view, reference being had to Fig. 3, the container with the light bulb has been removed from wrapper H. In this side elevation the corners formed by folding on scored lines 67, and 6- 8, definingsectionsC, D, and E, as described in Fig. 4, are permitted to flare, due to the resiliency of the paper, and thereby form a lamp shade. A wider flare of the shade may be effected by the hand if desired. Lines 2 and 3 areparts of the lines 2*2, and 33, as shown onthe fiat surface of Fig. 4:. These linestogether with the lines H, 6 7, and68, divide the figure into the several sections designated as A, O, D, and E. The electric bulb G is shown within the shade and ready to be connected with the electric circuit by the usual means of screwing the neck F into the lightsocket, a without removing the bulb from its original position inthe container. The wrapper H, reference stillbeing had to Fig. 3, is. made of one sheet, two edges of which are brought together and made fast by gluing or by other means. Its adaptation to our use is also shown in Figures 1 and 2. While the wrapper herein describeda wrapper of suflicient length to extend beyond the end of the container'to include thev neck of the electric I bulb-is our preference, we would not limit ourselves to this particular form, as any one of several well known'forms of wrappers, binders, or ties may be used.

Having thus described our invention, we claim: V

1. A device comprising a single sheet having a hole in the center for the purpose of admitting the neck of an electric light bulb, each of the four corners of said sheet being scored with a series of four lines and designed to fold inward, bringing the four side panels to inclined angles to form a lamp shade.

2-. A sheet of dodecagon'shape so scored as to form when folded a rectangular box in a combined container and shade; the four corners of the box folding inward to form a cushioned protection for the electric light bulb, the square end section having a hole as described for the purpose of admitting the neck of the electric light bulb to hold it in ready position for attaching to the electric light socket; the opposite end of the box being open or uncovered.

3. A sheet so scored as to form a rectangular box in a combined container and shade, having one open or uncovered end and one end containing a hole as described to admit theneck of the electric light bulb; cushions formed of three trihedral faces lying within and across the corners of the box and meeting-each other around the inner walls of the box to provide a resilient cushion protection for the electric bulb packed therein.

4. A sheet scored to fold into a rectangular box being" a combined'container and shade, with'the square end section having a hole as described, the opposite end of the box being open; the spaces between the rectangular panels being so scored as to form three trihedral faces which lie within and across the corners "of the box and meet each other around the inner walls of the box, thereby providing a series ofresilient cushions to protect the electric light bulb packed therein;, the container with the electric bulb packed therein adapted to be placed and confined within an outside wrapper, for packing, shipping and handling. 7

5. A unitary device comprising a sheet foldable to form four equal rectangular sides and anendsec'tion of a combined container and lamp shade, the square end section having a hole as described, the opposite end of box being open; the spaces between the rectangular panels being so scored as to form in folding three trihedral faces, said faces folding within the corners of the container andv being held in contact with the electric light bulb by the outside tie; these same trihedralfaces, by removal of container from outside tie, flaring by their own resiliency or aided if necessary by the hand, to form the fluted corners of a lamp shade.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

J. WARRINGTON HAYES.

ALMA B. IIAYES. 

